275:. The school's headmaster Noble Wallace was a strict disciplinarian and employed corporal punishment. Stephensen was nicknamed "Chicken" at school, due to his surname containing the word "hen". In his first year he had his wrist broken in a hazing ritual. He became a platoon leader in the school cadets and was also a talented sportsman, captaining the school's cricket and football teams and winning prizes for athletics. In 1916 he won a two-year extension to his scholarship by passing the junior public examination. Stephensen was chosen as a
33:
251:. Stephensen's paternal grandparents were Danish immigrants who had arrived in Queensland in the 1870s, converting from Lutheranism to Anglicanism and anglicising their surname from the original "Steffensen". Their children rapidly assimilated into the local community and did not learn Danish. Stephensen's mother and maternal grandparents were immigrants from the
191:. Splitting from the press in 1933, he founded yet another press, P. R. Stephensen & Co., which published more Australian works before failing in 1935 due to financial stresses. Despite the repeated collapses of his publishing companies, Stephensen became a recognised figure in Australian literature, becoming vice-president of the
270:
Stephensen learned to shoot and ride at a young age, as was typical at the time. He began his education at
Biggenden Primary School and in 1914 placed within the top 100 students in the state secondary school examinations. This entitled him to a two-year government-funded scholarship, and in 1915 he
389:
released a document that advocated disconnection from the United States and stated, "US comics promoted demonology, witchcraft and voodooism, with
Superman part of a raving mad view of the world". Of American musicals and minstrel shows, he wrote: "the American negro, with his jungle is not welcome
283:, whose socialist and pacifist beliefs prompted community opposition and led to his early resignation. Towards the end of the year, Stephensen led a student boycott of the school's speech day, at which the annual prizes were to be handed out by the state treasurer
294:. He was a fee-paying student as he had failed to win one of the few scholarships then available. He boarded at St John's College, where he soon received the nickname "Inky" for his habit of singing the chorus from "
174:, releasing an assortment of their own writings as well as translated works. After the press ceased operation, Stephensen established his own press, lasting only a year. During this time he cohabitated with former
1008:
427:, which promulgated monarchical, pro-fascist, anti-Semitic, anti-Communist and pro-Aboriginal views. In the early 1940s, Miles curtailed his activities, due to increasing ill health. Stephensen founded the
267:
and later became a journalist and writer. Stephensen's youngest brother, Cyril Edward (Ted), served with the RAAF during World War II and was shot down over France and killed in May 1944.
913:
241:, where his father was a wheelwright, farrier and coffin-maker; he later took over the town's general store. His father was the secretary of the local branch of the
968:
237:. He was the oldest of six children born to Marie-Louise Aimee (née Tardent) and Christian Julius (Chris) Stephensen. The family lived on a small farm outside
1003:
988:
943:
306:, who in turn introduced him to Theodore Whitherby. He also became involved with the Workers' Educational Association (WEA) and developed a friendship with
998:
993:
561:
242:
225:
being among them, were detained by the
Australian government. Being released after the war’s end, Stephensen continued to write until his death in 1965.
938:
310:, who would later become the only Communist Party MP elected to an Australian parliament. In June 1919 Stephensen's first published article in the
742:
978:
923:
183:
314:
called for the "fostering of a national literature" and greater study of
Australian poets, themes he would return to later in his career.
928:
973:
804:
958:
953:
983:
948:
535:
386:
295:
192:
933:
918:
884:
326:
218:, which the two established in October 1941. After five months of activity, Stephensen and his colleagues in the movement,
749:
272:
558:"Marie Louse Amee Tardent b. 27 Aug 1882 d. 23 May 1970 Surfers Paradise, Queensland, Australia: Queensland Family Trees"
963:
318:
159:
851:
531:
363:
431:
in
October 1941, and took over the editorship of the magazine in early 1942, shortly before being interned at the
170:
and joined the university branch of the Party. Graduating, he joined the
Fanfrolico Press alongside fellow author
557:
120:(20 November 1901 – 28 May 1965) was an Australian writer, publisher and political activist, first aligned with
432:
428:
291:
215:
155:
132:
398:
rights, and he and his colleague, retired businessman W. J. Miles, financed the first
Aboriginal publication,
234:
147:
60:
32:
435:
in rural South
Australia without trial, along with other members of the Australia First Movement, for pro-
395:
259:, Russia (now Ukraine); his mother was bilingual in French and English. Stephensen's maternal grandfather
871:
379:
247:
207:
178:
Winifred Sarah Venus (née
Lockyer), whom he later married in 1947 following her first husband’s death.
908:
903:
753:
330:
456:
252:
451:
Stephensen was a prolific author. He published over 30 books, as well as translations of works by
202:, Stephensen became disillusioned with communism. In 1936 Stephensen penned his most famous work,
820:
163:
136:
125:
880:
264:
280:
151:
832:
798:
436:
338:
222:
187:
to found another publishing press, the
Endeavour Press, in the same year alongside fellow
83:
452:
358:
334:
303:
188:
852:"Inky Stephensen's internment experiences in Australia: letters to his wife (1942–45)"
525:
279:
in 1918, his fourth and final year at the school. For a brief period he was taught by
181:
Upon returning to Australia with Winifred in 1932, Stephensen partnered with magazine
897:
368:
342:
322:
307:
260:
199:
175:
214:
alongside businessman William Miles, he laid down the fundamental frameworks of the
460:
391:
299:
284:
171:
287:. The boycott was in protest at the sacking of Wallace by the board of trustees.
464:
440:
412:
405:
346:
219:
489:
The Foundations of Culture in Australia: An Essay Towards National Self Respect
238:
121:
399:
276:
167:
129:
337:
and was a member of the university branch of the Communist Party with
256:
79:
778:
Andrighetti, Jim (December 1999). "Books from behind barbed wire".
290:
In 1919, aged 17, Stephensen moved to Brisbane and enrolled in the
743:"Achiever's Walk: Ordinary Australians doing extraordinary things"
16:
Australian writer, publisher and political activist (1901–1965)
394:
views in this period. However, Stephensen was a supporter of
477:
The Bushwackers: Sketches of Life in the Australian Outback
233:
Percy Reginald Stephensen was born on 20 November 1901 in
1009:
Prisoners and detainees of the Commonwealth of Australia
245:
and his mother was the Biggenden correspondent for the
581:
579:
321:
in 1921. He gained a second-class honours degree in
107:
99:
91:
68:
42:
23:
423:In 1936, Stephensen and Miles founded a magazine,
411:He edited all but four of the books of writer
780:Biblionews and Australian Notes & Queries
495:The History and Description of Sydney Harbour
263:was an agricultural scientist who managed an
8:
404:, written and edited by Aboriginal activist
150:, of Danish and Swiss descent. Studying his
378:(1936), which led to the foundation of the
361:and edited the first uncensored version of
31:
20:
527:Stephensen, Percy Reginald (1901 - 1965)
507:
376:The Foundations of Culture in Australia
204:The Foundations of Culture in Australia
141:The Foundations of Culture in Australia
969:Australian indigenous rights activists
828:
818:
914:Alumni of the Queen's College, Oxford
729:
717:
705:
693:
681:
669:
657:
645:
633:
621:
609:
597:
585:
538:from the original on 21 December 2006
519:
517:
515:
513:
511:
95:Writer, publisher, political activist
7:
873:Inky Stephensen: Wild Man of Letters
807:from the original on 29 January 2020
1004:People interned during World War II
989:Australian people of Danish descent
944:People from Maryborough, Queensland
564:from the original on 8 October 2023
459:. He also produced nearly 70 books
210:. Founding the monthly publication
124:and later shifting support towards
999:Australian prisoners and detainees
994:Australian people of Swiss descent
879:. University of Queensland Press.
803:. Australian National University.
491:(Gordon, N.S.W.: W.J. Miles, 1936)
14:
390:here". He was also noted for his
387:Fellowship of Australian Writers
273:Maryborough Boys' Grammar School
206:, sparking the emergence of the
193:Fellowship of Australian Writers
939:University of Queensland alumni
800:Miles, William John (1871–1942)
243:Workers' Political Organisation
128:. He was the co-founder of the
850:Fitzpatrick, Georgina (2007).
485:(London: Mandrake Press, 1930)
483:The Legend of Aleister Crowley
374:His most significant work was
1:
750:Fraser Coast Regional Council
296:Mademoiselle from Armentières
979:Australian magazine founders
385:Between the world wars, his
367:. He was also friendly with
319:Communist Party of Australia
160:Communist Party of Australia
924:Australian male biographers
357:Stephensen was a friend of
139:, and he was the author of
1025:
929:Australian Rhodes Scholars
532:Melbourne University Press
479:(London: Mandrake Press, )
162:in 1921. Upon winning the
974:20th-century male writers
298:". Stephensen befriended
118:Percy Reginald Stephensen
47:Percy Reginald Stephensen
30:
959:20th-century biographers
954:20th-century translators
429:Australia First Movement
292:University of Queensland
216:Australia First Movement
158:, Stephensen joined the
156:University of Queensland
135:, alongside businessman
133:Australia First Movement
984:Australian nationalists
949:Writers from Queensland
497:(Adelaide: Rigby, 1966)
364:Lady Chatterley's Lover
317:Stephensen joined the
235:Maryborough, Queensland
148:Maryborough, Queensland
146:Stephensen was born in
61:Maryborough, Queensland
934:Australian translators
919:Australian biographers
752:. 2007. Archived from
333:where he studied as a
870:Munro, Craig (1992).
524:Munro, Craig (2000).
380:Jindyworobak Movement
248:Maryborough Chronicle
208:Jindyworobak movement
37:Stephensen circa 1934
865:. Monash University.
166:in 1924 he left for
103:Winifred Sarah Venus
964:Australian fascists
457:Friedrich Nietzsche
312:University Magazine
419:Far-right politics
271:began boarding at
164:Rhodes Scholarship
126:far-right politics
265:experimental farm
115:
114:
1016:
890:
878:
866:
856:
837:
836:
830:
826:
824:
816:
814:
812:
797:Cunneen, Chris.
794:
788:
787:
775:
769:
768:
766:
764:
758:
747:
739:
733:
727:
721:
715:
709:
703:
697:
691:
685:
679:
673:
667:
661:
655:
649:
643:
637:
631:
625:
619:
613:
607:
601:
595:
589:
583:
574:
573:
571:
569:
554:
548:
547:
545:
543:
521:
281:V. Gordon Childe
152:Bachelor of Arts
75:
57:20 November 1901
56:
54:
35:
25:P. R. Stephensen
21:
1024:
1023:
1019:
1018:
1017:
1015:
1014:
1013:
894:
893:
887:
876:
869:
854:
849:
846:
844:Further reading
841:
840:
827:
817:
810:
808:
796:
795:
791:
777:
776:
772:
762:
760:
759:on 4 March 2016
756:
745:
741:
740:
736:
728:
724:
716:
712:
704:
700:
692:
688:
680:
676:
668:
664:
656:
652:
644:
640:
632:
628:
620:
616:
608:
604:
596:
592:
588:, pp. 4–5.
584:
577:
567:
565:
556:
555:
551:
541:
539:
523:
522:
509:
504:
449:
421:
355:
339:A. J. P. Taylor
327:Queen's College
231:
223:Adela Pankhurst
87:
84:New South Wales
77:
73:
64:
58:
52:
50:
49:
48:
38:
26:
17:
12:
11:
5:
1022:
1020:
1012:
1011:
1006:
1001:
996:
991:
986:
981:
976:
971:
966:
961:
956:
951:
946:
941:
936:
931:
926:
921:
916:
911:
906:
896:
895:
892:
891:
885:
867:
845:
842:
839:
838:
829:|website=
789:
770:
734:
722:
710:
698:
686:
674:
662:
650:
638:
626:
614:
602:
590:
575:
549:
506:
505:
503:
500:
499:
498:
492:
486:
480:
453:Vladimir Lenin
448:
445:
420:
417:
359:D. H. Lawrence
354:
351:
335:Rhodes Scholar
304:Norman Lindsay
230:
227:
189:Norman Lindsay
154:degree at the
113:
112:
109:
105:
104:
101:
97:
96:
93:
89:
88:
78:
76:(aged 63)
70:
66:
65:
59:
46:
44:
40:
39:
36:
28:
27:
24:
15:
13:
10:
9:
6:
4:
3:
2:
1021:
1010:
1007:
1005:
1002:
1000:
997:
995:
992:
990:
987:
985:
982:
980:
977:
975:
972:
970:
967:
965:
962:
960:
957:
955:
952:
950:
947:
945:
942:
940:
937:
935:
932:
930:
927:
925:
922:
920:
917:
915:
912:
910:
907:
905:
902:
901:
899:
888:
882:
875:
874:
868:
864:
860:
853:
848:
847:
843:
834:
822:
806:
802:
801:
793:
790:
786:(4): 122–123.
785:
781:
774:
771:
755:
751:
744:
738:
735:
732:, p. 15.
731:
726:
723:
720:, p. 16.
719:
714:
711:
708:, p. 14.
707:
702:
699:
696:, p. 13.
695:
690:
687:
684:, p. 12.
683:
678:
675:
672:, p. 10.
671:
666:
663:
659:
654:
651:
647:
642:
639:
635:
630:
627:
623:
618:
615:
611:
606:
603:
599:
594:
591:
587:
582:
580:
576:
563:
559:
553:
550:
537:
533:
529:
528:
520:
518:
516:
514:
512:
508:
501:
496:
493:
490:
487:
484:
481:
478:
475:
474:
473:
472:
468:
466:
462:
458:
454:
446:
444:
442:
438:
434:
430:
426:
425:The Publicist
418:
416:
414:
409:
407:
403:
402:
397:
393:
388:
383:
381:
377:
372:
370:
369:Aldous Huxley
366:
365:
360:
353:Literary work
352:
350:
348:
344:
343:Graham Greene
340:
336:
332:
328:
324:
323:Modern Greats
320:
315:
313:
309:
308:Fred Paterson
305:
301:
297:
293:
288:
286:
282:
278:
274:
268:
266:
262:
261:Henry Tardent
258:
254:
250:
249:
244:
240:
236:
228:
226:
224:
221:
217:
213:
212:The Publicist
209:
205:
201:
200:Moscow Trials
196:
194:
190:
186:
185:
179:
177:
176:ballet dancer
173:
169:
165:
161:
157:
153:
149:
144:
142:
138:
137:William Miles
134:
131:
127:
123:
119:
110:
106:
102:
98:
94:
92:Occupation(s)
90:
85:
81:
71:
67:
62:
45:
41:
34:
29:
22:
19:
872:
862:
858:
809:. Retrieved
799:
792:
783:
779:
773:
761:. Retrieved
754:the original
737:
725:
713:
701:
689:
677:
665:
660:, p. 9.
653:
648:, p. 8.
641:
636:, p. 7.
629:
624:, p. 6.
617:
612:, p. 4.
605:
600:, p. 5.
593:
566:. Retrieved
552:
540:. Retrieved
526:
494:
488:
482:
476:
470:
469:
461:ghostwritten
450:
447:Bibliography
443:sympathies.
433:Loveday Camp
424:
422:
410:
401:The Abo Call
400:
392:anti-Semitic
384:
375:
373:
362:
356:
316:
311:
300:Jack Lindsay
289:
285:Ted Theodore
269:
253:Swiss French
246:
232:
211:
203:
197:
184:The Bulletin
182:
180:
172:Jack Lindsay
145:
140:
117:
116:
74:(1965-05-28)
18:
909:1965 deaths
904:1901 births
763:22 November
471:Non fiction
465:Frank Clune
413:Frank Clune
406:Jack Patten
347:Tom Driberg
220:suffragette
198:During the
86:, Australia
72:28 May 1965
63:, Australia
898:Categories
886:0702223891
730:Munro 1992
718:Munro 1992
706:Munro 1992
694:Munro 1992
682:Munro 1992
670:Munro 1992
658:Munro 1992
646:Munro 1992
634:Munro 1992
622:Munro 1992
610:Munro 1992
598:Munro 1992
586:Munro 1992
568:27 January
542:28 October
502:References
396:Aboriginal
255:colony at
229:Early life
53:1901-11-20
831:ignored (
821:cite book
302:, son of
239:Biggenden
122:communism
805:Archived
562:Archived
536:Archived
437:Japanese
108:Children
811:4 April
277:prefect
168:England
130:fascist
883:
331:Oxford
257:Chabag
100:Spouse
80:Sydney
877:(PDF)
855:(PDF)
757:(PDF)
746:(PDF)
881:ISBN
859:Eras
833:help
813:2020
765:2015
570:2021
544:2013
463:for
455:and
441:Axis
439:and
345:and
69:Died
43:Born
325:at
900::
861:.
857:.
825::
823:}}
819:{{
784:24
782:.
748:.
578:^
560:.
534:.
530:.
510:^
467:.
415:.
408:.
382:.
371:.
349:.
341:,
329:,
195:.
143:.
82:,
889:.
863:9
835:)
815:.
767:.
572:.
546:.
111:1
55:)
51:(
Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License. Additional terms may apply.